


Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — An Alternate Epilogue

by universe



Category: Harry Potter - Rowling
Genre: Alternate Ending, Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Dark, Epilogue, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-08-05
Updated: 2009-08-05
Packaged: 2017-10-10 11:15:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/99140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/universe/pseuds/universe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Old ways die hard, Ron.</i> The dark times Dumbledore warned you about, they're over.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — An Alternate Epilogue

**Author's Note:**

> Instead of the ~~crapilogue~~ epilogue provided in the last book.

The two men appeared out of nowhere, a few yards apart in the narrow, moonlit lane. The forehead of one of them was bisected by a scar that looked suspiciously like lightening, the hair of the other one shone a pale shade of red in the moonlight.  
They stood very still for a few moments, eyes fixed on the other; then, being sure they were completely alone, they walked towards each other. Only after exchanging their secret password, their faces lost their seriousness and their shoulders slumped down from the eased tension.

"Any news?", the man with the scar asked.

"Nothing. You?", came the prompt reply.

"No", he whispered, and finally allowed himself to smile. "It's good to see you, Ron."

His friend grinned, the trademark grin he never grew out of, and hugged him tight.

"Harry, there hasn't been anything going on in years. Do you really think this is going to be necessary in the future?"

Harry sighed, they had been over this a million times already, and Ron still did not see the importance of their monthly meetings.

"Voldemort might be dead, but there are still enough other dangerous wizards and witches out there. Don't forget that, Ron. We have to keep an eye on them, if only to make sure there won't ever be another Voldemort."

It was Ron's turn to sigh, a sound that showed that he did understand. That did not mean he approved, though.

"But Harry, the children are going to start Hogwarts next month, and Hermione and I had hoped we'd be able to travel a bit, to discover new places."

"I know, and Ginny is getting tired of me disappearing once a month, too, but this, what we do, might one day be crucial to our survival. Have you forgotten what Voldemort and his Death Eaters did to you? To Hermione? To everyone?"

Ron shook his head ever so slightly.

"Of course not. I'm just saying that it might be time to let go, Harry. There's always going to be the danger of other wizards starting down the same path as Voldemort, and there's nothing you can do about it. You need to live a little."

"I can't. I still see his face when I sleep. I wake up at night, and it feels as if he's right there next to me, his wand drawn and pointed at me, ready and more than willing to kill."

The silence that fell over the two of them was interrupted by a lone dog howling somewhere in the neighbourhood.

"Your scar...", Ron mumbled. "Does it— I mean, has it started hurting again?"

Harry shook his head, knowing that he wasn't being entirely truthful. There were some things that he just could not tell anyone, not even his best friend. He had never told anybody about what had happened after the killing curse had hit him either; everybody had been satisfied with his lie that he was not able to remember anything.

"But you know that my scar was only connected to Voldemort, not to other evil wizards, not even his Death Eaters. There might be someone else out there right now planning to kill innocent muggles, or wizards and witches. The old ways die hard, Ron."

The only response he got was a heavy sigh, because they both knew Harry was right. Ron shuffled his feet over the dusty ground, a nervous habit he had picked up over the years.

"I don't think I can do this anymore."

Harry knew that this was what Ron had come to tell him, that this was why they were both here now.

"The dark times Dumbledore warned you about, they are over. Live your life, Harry, and let me live mine."

With that, he turned around, walked towards the small forest they'd both apparated to earlier, and vanished with a silent _pop_. Now it was Harry's turn to sigh. He wished he could just make them understand. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, they all did not see the threats, the dangers that were present everywhere and at all times. He thought to himself that he, Harry Potter, would never give up, never stop fighting, even if it meant deceiving the people he loved the most.

And he hadn't technically lied to Ron, he tried to make himself believe. His scar really had not hurt since the day of what was now known as the Battle of Hogwarts, but it had not completely left him in peace either. His hand automatically found his forehead and started rubbing across it while he stared into the darkness that Ron had just vanished in. The marred patch of skin tingled slightly.


End file.
